Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[ashkor87]

It pleased me to hear Venus saying 'we always hit balls, that is what we do', implying that the news about Serena hitting doesnt mean she is coming back to the pro game. I always feel the real joy of tennis is in just hitting the ball, not winning matches, or even playing points.. Seles was like that too - her practice sessions were usually about hitting, not playing points..

[ponchi101]

I have not played a singles match in years (got sucked into a mixed doubles last year). I just go out there and hit. 5 minutes of cross court FH's, 5 of BH's. I work on a given shot on any given day.
It is like with skiing. I am not going down the slope trying to prove anything. Just trying to work on technique, trying to get a bit better.
I have no desire to "win" a match (back to tennis). I want to hit two or three good shots per session. That is all.

Now, I have to get ready. I am playing at noon. Yooohooo!

[Suliso]

Interesting approach... I play badminton these days and I try to win as much as possible. Same for chess which I play even more regularly and lose ca 50% of the time (as does everyone else).

[ponchi101]

It took me a long time to realize that the mental aspects of the game are too much for me. At the end of a set, my level of play is about 50% of what it is at the start. The sport makes me nervous intrinsically, so I really do not have the mental strength needed.
My level during training is around 4.5 - 5.0. On a match, it can go all the way down to 4.0.
Facing break point at 4-4? Your chances of me hitting that DF are fairly good.

When I am just hitting, none of that matters.

[dryrunguy]

Facing break point at 4-4? Your chances of me hitting that DF are fairly good.

Admit it... Back in the day, you coached Anna Chakvetadze...

[ponchi101]

Would have loved it

[ti-amie]

Facing break point at 4-4? Your chances of me hitting that DF are fairly good.

Admit it... Back in the day, you coached Anna Chakvetadze...

[ashkor87]

So what do folks here think of the new mixed doubs format at the USO? I love to watch mixed doubles but this is a shocking travesty..the #1 woman and the #1 man can't get in because entry is by singles ranking...

[ti-amie]

So what do folks here think of the new mixed doubs format at the USO? I love to watch mixed doubles but this is a shocking travesty..the #1 woman and the #1 man can't get in because entry is by singles ranking...

Siniakova and Arevalo are pushing back.
What top singles player is going to actually play this a week before the beginning of the "real" US Open.

[ponchi101]

It's a business.
If you can't put any bodies on the stands, other than your coach and a few friends, then you really have no way to say what needs to be done.
It's a show business. You need to sell tickets.

[skatingfan]

Siniakova and Arevalo are pushing back.
What top singles player is going to actually play this a week before the beginning of the "real" US Open.

It's a two-day event - Aug 19-20 - main draw starts Aug 24.

[FredX]

It's a business.
If you can't put any bodies on the stands, other than your coach and a few friends, then you really have no way to say what needs to be done.
It's a show business. You need to sell tickets.

So now a mixed doubles team can't ever win a career slam? It's messing with the integrity of the sport. Plenty of people watch mixed doubles at slams. Replacing doubles players with hot babes in lingerie might sell tickets too, but that doesn't mean you should do it.

[ponchi101]

I know it is messing with the integrity of the sport.
But the same thing is happening with both doubles, although a bit less in the women's. If the top stars do not play those events, they simply do not bring in the revenue.
And this is doubly especially at the USO, the one slam that is truly blatant about bringing in profits (Arthur Ashe Stadium is a circular billboard). As you say, if one day the USO finds out that babes in lingerie with tennis racquets will sell more tickets than mixed doubles, they will do it.

[dave g]

It's a business.
If you can't put any bodies on the stands, other than your coach and a few friends, then you really have no way to say what needs to be done.
It's a show business. You need to sell tickets.

Hmmm. However, one of the side effects is that I would be even less interested in the new format than the old format. Part of that is due to the fact that I have played a lot of doubles, including mixed double, in recreational leagues. So, I expect the doubles players will be playing better doubles than the singles players, and that by watching I would be able to determine which partners were doubles players and which were singles players without know who the players are. However, this is probably not true for the majority of casual tennis fans.

[ponchi101]

Notice how few members we have.
Tennis is no longer a mainstream sport. In the US, where does it stand as an spectator sport? 6th or 7th, at best.
So yes, for us tennis fans, we know who Katerina Siniakova is. Make a poll in NYC the week before the open and most people won't know.